Container for magnetic tape cartridge

ABSTRACT

A package container for a magnetic tape cartridge could be provided such that a package container can be easily opened and can be repeatedly used. A package container  1  for a magnetic tape cartridge comprises a hinge typed opening and closing lid  12  and a sealing sticker  2  stuck to a predetermined position away from the end for said hinge side by striding over one or both side edges between the end for a hinge side and the end for an opening and closing side of the lid  21.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a container for a magnetic tape cartridge, more particularly to the container equipped with a sealing function.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] In recent years, as a recording medium for data backup of computer, magnetic tape cartridge or disk cartridge has been using. A cartridge is comprised such that a magnetic tape wound around a single reel is rotatably stored in a flat square shaped container. Another cartridge is comprised such that a magnetic disk is rotatably stored in a flat square shaped container.

[0003] These cartridges are generally fragile for the impact caused by external force and are needed to prevent dust from adhering to outside the container, the reel or the magnetic disk in the container.

[0004] Therefore, these ones are generally stored in a special container for transferring or safekeeping.

[0005] As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B (prior art), a container 10 having a main body 110 and an opening and closing lid 120 has been using as these types of packaging containers. The main body 110 is to store a cartridge, while an opening and closing lid 120 (hereinafter is simply called as the lid 120) is connected to the main body 110 through a thin connecting portion 130 such that the lid 120 can be moved for opening and closing.

[0006] As shown in FIG. 5A, the container 10 keeps a closing state under the condition that an upper end face of side walls 110 c provided on both end portions of the main body 110 and both end portions of the lid 120 are contacted with each other for covering an opening area of the main body 110 by an upper plate 120 a and a front wall 120 d of the lid 120.

[0007] And then the front wall 120 d of the lid 120 is bent back for pushing upward as opening movement of the lid 120 under the condition that a thin connecting portion 130 is fulcrum. Consequently, this operation causes the container to be opened state as shown in FIG. 5B from said closed state.

[0008] Anyway, an instruction “seal is not broken ” is needed to be described on a magnetic tape cartridge for computer until using after shipping from the plant because important data are preserved and reliability must be secured. Accordingly, a sealing sticker is stuck to the container.

[0009] Now as shown in FIG. 5A, there is a case that a sealing sticker 2A is stuck to the front face of end portion for an opening and closing side of the container 10 so as to stride over a bottom plate 110 a of the main body 110 and the front wall 120 d of the lid 120.

[0010] However, said method for sticking has been requiring a large force for opening the container since uniform pulling power must be exerted to all width of the sealing sticker 2 a for breaking.

[0011] Moreover, as shown in FIG. 5B, when the container 10 is opened, the sealing sticker 2 a is broken under the condition that a tally is stuck to the main body 110 while another is stuck to the lid 120 respectively. However, there is a case that the sealing sticker 2 a is unequally broken regardless of boundary between the main body 110 and the lid 120.

[0012] In this case, when the lid 120 is closed, a part of the sealing sticker 2 a is pinched between the lid 120 and the main body 110. Thus, there is a fear that the lid 120 can not be closed completely. Consequently, a protruded portion of the sealing sticker 2 a from the boundary of the lid 120 or the main body 110 is needed to be cut.

[0013] In order to overcome the above inconvenience, the purpose of the present invention is to provide the container for the magnetic tape cartridge such that the container can be repeatedly used as well as the container can be easily opened.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] To attain said object, the container for the magnetic tape cartridge with regard to the present invention is subject to the packaging container having a hinge typed opening and closing lid, and the sealing sticker stuck to a predetermined position away from the end for a hinge side by striding over one or both side edges between the end for said hinge side and the end for opening and closing side of said lid.

[0015] The container for the magnetic tape cartridge is a packaging container wherein the sealing sticker is stuck to the hinge typed opening and closing lid attached to the main body for storing the magnetic tape. In this case, the sealing sticker is stuck to a predetermined position away from the end for said hinge side by striding over one or both side edges between both the end for a hinge side and the end for an opening and closing side of said lid of the container.

[0016] When the aforementioned container is opened, the container is gradually opened from hinge side to the opening and closing side in accordance with an opening movement of the lid under the condition that a hinge side is fulcrum.

[0017] In the case of the container with regard to the present invention, the sealing sticker is stuck to the predetermined position away from the end for said hinge side by striding over one or both side edges between the end for a hinge side and the end for opening and closing side of the lid.

[0018] Accordingly, compared with conventional packaging containers in which the sealing sticker is stuck to a front side of an opening and closing face, a position of sticking the sealing sticker is closer to an end portion of hinge of which is fulcrum for an opening and closing movement of the lid. Consequently, a large force is not required to break the sealing sticker compared with that of conventional packaging containers.

[0019] Moreover, the present method of sticking allows the sealing sticker to be gradually broken from one edge side to another edge side of the sealing sticker in accordance with opening movement of the lid. Because the sealing sticker is stuck to the predetermined position away from the end for said hinge by striding over one or both side edges between the end for a hinge side and the end for an opening and closing side. On the other hand, a conventional method is such that all width of the sealing sticker is simultaneously broken since the sealing sticker is stuck to a front face of the container. Therefore the present method is different from conventional method. Consequently, the force enough to break the sealing sticker can be more reduced compared with the case of sticking the sealing sticker to the front face of the container. In addition, since the sealing sticker is gradually broken from one edge side to another edge side, a closing seal is easily broken along the boundary between the main body and the lid. In this way, according to the present method of sealing, the sealing sticker is easily broken for opening the package container, while the package container can be repeatedly used after opening. Because the present method is to stick the sealing sticker to the predetermined position away from the end for said hinge side by striding over one or both side edges between the end for said hinge and the end for an opening and closing side of said lid for opening the container of the main body. Besides, in this case, when a position of sticking the sealing sticker to a side face of the container becomes closer to an edge for a hinge side, these effects can be appropriately gained.

[0020] Furthermore, preferably said sealing sticker is stuck to the container for the magnetic tape cartridge such that said sealing sticker has a nick to be divided at a predetermined boundary line of which is the same position as a boundary between the main body of said closed container and said lid.

[0021] The sealing sticker is constituted so as to be divided into two portions at the predetermined boundary line by providing a portion for easily cutting such as a perforation, a thin portion, and the nick. And then the sealing sticker having aforementioned constitution is stuck to a side face of the package container such that said boundary line is the same position as that of a boundary between the main body of closed container and the lid. This allows the sealing sticker to be broken along said boundary line in accordance with an opening movement of the lid. Consequently, since the sealing sticker can be broken without shifting from the boundary, a breaking line of the sealing sticker can be uniformed.

[0022] Furthermore, a force enough to break the sealing sticker can be reduced more by using above mentioned sealing sticker. And even when opening the lid under the condition that the sealing sticker is stuck to the lid and the main body, a large force is not required so much. Consequently, the container can be easily opened and can be repeatedly used. What is more, when the container is opened, the sealing sticker is divided into two portions at the point of said boundary line such that a tally is stuck to the lid while the other is stuck to the main body. However, in this case, the sealing sticker is broken along the edge portion of the lid and the main body respectively. Thus, there is no case that a portion of the sticker is protruded from the boundary between the main body and the lid. Accordingly, there is no case such that a portion of the sticker is pinched between the lid and the main body for preventing the container from closing completely. Moreover, an extra work for cutting a portion of the sticker protruded from the boundary between the container and the lid can be omitted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023]FIG. 1 is a perspective view to show the container for a magnetic tape cartridge with regard to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0024]FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C are drawings to explain an opening and closing movement of said container, a method of sticking a sealing sticker to said container, and a state of said sealing sticker being divided into two portions.

[0025]FIG. 3A is a perspective view to show one example of the sealing sticker, and FIG. 3B is a partial enlarged sectional view.

[0026]FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D are partial enlarged sectional views respectively to show other examples of the sealing sticker using in said method of sealing.

[0027]FIGS. 5A and 5B are drawings to explain a conventional packaging container for the magnetic tape cartridge.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] Now a container 1 for the magnetic tape cartridge with regard to one embodiment of the present invention will be properly illustrated in detail with reference to the accompanied drawings. For example, the container 1 for the magnetic tape cartridge has a hinge typed opening and closing lid 12 (hereinafter is simply called as the lid 12) connected to a main body 11 through a thin connecting portion 13 to store a magnetic cartridge as shown in FIG. 1.

[0029] Said main body 11 comprises a rear wall 11 b, two side walls 11 c, and two front walls 11 d respectively. The rear wall 11 b is provided on a rear edge of a flat shaped bottom plate 11 a, two side walls 11 c are provided on both side edges of the bottom plate 11 a, and the front walls 11 d are provided on both sides of front edge of the flat shaped bottom plate 11 a. An internal space comprised of these walls 11 b, 11 c, 11 d, and the flat shaped bottom plate 11 a is a closet for a cartridge 3. In addition, a convex portion 11 e is provided on a center portion of front edge of the flat shaped bottom plate 11 a to engage with a following concave portion 12 e of the lid 12.

[0030] On the other hand, a flat shaped upper plate 12 a of said lid 12 is almost the same shape as that of the flat shaped bottom plate 11 a of the main body. A rear edge of the flat shaped upper plate 12 a is connected to an upper edge of the rear wall 11 b of said main body 11 through a thin connecting portion 13 such that the lid 12 is capable of opening and closing. In addition, two side walls 12 c are provided on both side edges 12 f of the flat shaped upper plate 12 a and a flexible front wall 12 d is provided on a front edge as an opening and closing side of the flat shaped upper plate 12 a respectively. Furthermore, a concave portion 12 e for engaging is provided on an inner face of the flexible front wall 12 d of the lid 12. Besides, the thin connecting portion 13 corresponds to a hinge, which will be described in the following claim 1.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 2A, the aforementioned container 1 keeps a closing state for locking by engaging the convex portion 11 e of the main body 11 with the concave portion 12 e of the lid 12. This condition is such that both outer faces of side walls 12 c of the lid 12 are contacted with each inner face of side walls 11 c of the main body 11, both upper edge faces of side walls 11 c of the main body 11 are contacted with both side edge 12 f of the lid 12, and both lower edge face of the front walls 12 d of the lid 12 is contacted with the front wall 11 d of the main body 11.

[0032] And the front wall 12 d of the lid 12 is bent back for leasing a locking state engaging the concave portion 12 e with the convex portion 11 e. This condition is such that the lid 12 can be opened and closed. Then the lid 12 shown in FIG. 2B is pushed upwardly for opening so as to be an opening state as shown in FIG. 2C.

[0033] A sealing sticker 2 using for sealing the aforementioned container 1 is shown in FIG. 3. For example, a base body 21 is a flat rectangular plate member capable of being cut such as a paper. And an adhesive 22 such as a starch system or a casein system is painted to a surface of the base body 21. Furthermore, the base body 21 has a perforation 23 as a boundary line for longitudinally dividing the base body 21 into two portions such that the base body 21 is cut along a perforation from one edge side to another edge side of a wide direction.

[0034] When the container 1 is sealed by using the aforementioned sealing sticker 2, the sealing sticker 2 is stuck to a center of the side wall 11 c of the main body 11 in wide direction by striding over the side wall 11 c of the main body 11 of the closed package container land the upper plate 12 a of the lid 12 as shown in FIG. 2A under the condition that a boundary line between the main body 11 and the lid 12 is the same position as that of the perforation 23.

[0035] When above mentioned package container is opened, the front wall 12 d of the lid 12 is bent back for leasing a locking state of a locking mechanism R and is pushed upwardly for opening the lid 12 under the condition that a thin connecting portion 13 is a fulcrum.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 2B, the sealing sticker 2 is gradually divided into two portions from one edge side to another edge side of the perforation 23 as a boundary line under the condition that a tally is stuck to the lid 12 while the other is stuck to the main body 11 in accordance with the opening movement of the lid 12.

[0037] In this case, the sealing sticker 2 is stuck to a position closed to a thin connecting portion 13 which is a fulcrum of an opening movement for the lid 12 seen from the side face of t container 1. Consequently, a large force is not required to break the sealing sticker 2 compared with conventional package 1 such that the sealing sticker 2 is stuck to a front face of the package container 1. Furthermore, a force enough to break the sealing sticker 2 can be reduced more compared with conventional case that the sealing sticker 2 is stuck to a front side of the package container 1. Because the sticker is gradually broken from one edge side to another edge side of the perforation 23 in accordance with an opening movement of the lid 12 and all width of the sealing sticker 2 is not broken simultaneously like the case that the sealing sticker 2 is stuck to a front face of the container 1.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 2C, the sealing sticker 2 is divided into two portions at a position of the perforation 23 through an opening movement of the lid 12 for opening the package container 1 under the condition that a tally is stuck to the lid 12 and the other is stuck to the main body 11. However, in this case, the sealing sticker 2 is cut along an edge portion of the lid 12 and the main body 11 respectively, thus, there is no case that a portion of the sealing sticker 2 is protruded from the boundary between the lid 12 and the main body 11. Accordingly, there is no case such that a portion of the sealing sticker 2 is pinched between the lid 12 and the main body 11 for preventing the package container from closing completely. Moreover, an extra work for cutting a portion of the sticker 2 protruded from a boundary between the main body 11 and the lid 12 can be omitted.

[0039] Besides, the package container for the magnetic tape cartridge with regard to the present invention is not restricted to a constitution of said embodiment, and an alternative constitution can be properly accepted as long as it is not strayed from the substance of the present invention. For example, according to said embodiment, the perforation 23 is provided on a base body 21 which is a component of the sealing sticker 2 for sealing the package container 1 so that the sticker 2 can be cut along a predetermined boundary line. However, it is not restricted to the perforation 23 as long as the sealing sticker 2 can be cut along the predetermined boundary line. For example, as shown in FIGS. 4A or B, a nick 24 can be provided along a boundary line on an outer face or an inner face of the base body 21. When the nick 24 is provided on an inner face of the base body 21, an outer view of the sticker 2 can be good appearance since the nick 24 can not be seen from outside. In addition, when the nick 24 is provided on an inner face of the base body 21, the nick portion 24 can be provided on an unified portion of the base body 21 and a layer of adhesive 22 as shown in FIG. 4C. Furthermore, a thin portion 25 can be provided along a boundary line as shown in FIG. 4D. Finally, a configuration of the sealing sticker 2 can be properly varied regardless of a rectangular shape.

[0040] Said embodiment of the present invention is a general explanation of the case that the package container 1 is a depressed squared shaped box. However, a configuration and size of a package container 1 is not stipulated and is properly variable as long as the container 1 has a hinge typed opening and closing lid. Furthermore, said embodiment is an explanation of the case that the sealing sticker 2 is stuck to only one front side of the container 1. However, a number of the sealing sticker 2 for sticking to the package container 1 is properly variable.

[0041] Moreover, when a position of sticking the sealing sticker 2 to a side face of the package container 1 becomes closer to the thin connecting portion 13, these effects can be nicely gained since the thin connecting portion 13 is a hinge side of the package container 1 facing to an opening and closing side of the lid 12. However, a position of attaching a sticker is properly variable depending upon such as an adhesion or strength of the sealing sticker 2 as long as the sticker is stuck to a side face of the package container 1 by striding over both the lid 12 and the main body 11.

[0042] As described above in detail, according to the container for the magnet tape cartridge with regard to the present invention, the container can be easily opened and can be repeatedly used. Furthermore, the sealing sticker is comprised so as to be divided in two portions at a predetermined boundary line of which is the same position as that of a boundary line between the main body and the lid of closed package container when said sealing sticker is stuck. Consequently, the container can be easily opened and can be repeatedly used. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A container for a magnetic tape cartridge comprises; a hinge typed opening and closing lid, and a sealing sticker stuck to a predetermined position away from the end for a hinge side by striding over one or both side edges between the end for the hinge side and the end for an opening and closing side of the lid.
 2. The container for a magnetic tape cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the sealing sticker is comprised so as to be divided into two portions at a predetermined boundary line, while said sealing sticker is stuck such that said predetermined boundary line corresponds to a boundary between a main body of said container and said lid when said container is closed. 